Recents posts in Catholic Moms on BabyCenterhttp://community.babycenter.com/groups/a6720505/catholic_moms
For catholic mothers who would like to talk to other catholic moms about anything from Christianity to what color your babies poop was!http://www.babycenter.com/images/logos/babycenter.gifBabyCenter Logo21278Just want to share!!http://community.babycenter.com/post/a56109025/just_want_to_share

My kids are loving them, so I thought I would share the idea.

]]>Tue, 31 Mar 2015 15:08:45 EDThttp://community.babycenter.com/post/a56109025/just_want_to_share#comments_formhttp://community.babycenter.com/post/a56109025/just_want_to_shareAnyone else have a mother like this? http://community.babycenter.com/post/a55461073/anyone_else_have_a_mother_like_this
In the beginning of my pregnancy I had ppda very badly until he was about 8 months old. My mother was very helpful during this time. TOO helpful. I'm her only child and he is my first she is obsessed with him. She would come over every day almost and be here all day. I would sometimes need it because I needed sleep or would be breaking down and needed help but most of the time it kissy hindered me gaining confidence as a new mom to do things on my own. I was terrified to take him places. I was so worried what if he cried could I handle it. So I never tried I always had her watch him. I take full responsibility for using her too much, however her obsession with him has other bad sides. My mom bless her heart I love her but she is extremely jealous and competitive with me. It's increased ten fold since having my son. Examples if I say "say mama" she says "no! Say grandma! You never say grandma!" (which he never says mama either, only rarely). Or when she takes him from me she always says "oh thank you for a kiss I NEVER get kisses". When I saw the whole time he never kissed her. She just says it to make me feel jealous or that she is the favorite. She takes him from me if he got hurt and im trying to comfort him etc. These are just a few examples and I don't want to make this too long. She also talks so badly about my mother in law who she barely knows and even my grandma, and she would get me so convinced that my son couldn't handle anyone else but her watching him so I was too afraid to try, like I said my confidence was lacking from ppda. Anyway at this moment we aren't speaking. We began to notice bad changes in my son after he was with her. He would become angry mean and hit and annoyed if you got too close to him. My mother smothers him to death and is in his face constantly so by the time he was done with her he didn't want us touching him. He would be exhausted and sleep forever after being with her even if I had him nap that day. He refused to nap for her mainly because she never followed what I said and wouldn't ever put him down to nap like I do and kept carrying him and walking him around the house. She always gave him way more bottles than I wanted him having to the point of him vomiting. Many will say why didn't you set boundaries. Yes I take responsibility for that but I was so beaten down by ppda that I didn't know how. My mom made it so easy for me to use her for help, and she would do things to make him difficult for me so she would be able to get in the middle of us. Every time she left I would say thank God now he will behave and he always would. As we noticed this getting worse and worse we decided (and told her) we wanted to start using other sitters. My confidence grew because I started just taking him every where with me for errands around his schedule and to play dates and I got better with medication. But I still was so beaten down I felt I couldn't say anything because she makes you so afraid with guilt and manipulation that she would quit being my work sitter if I upset her. So I felt I couldn't rock the boat. I only work three days a week. But like I said I got better so I told her we are going to start adding in other sitters because it's good for the baby to have play dates and be more exposures family. She was okay for a week or so and then she just freaked out of nowhere and now isn't speaking to us. Took down the crib she had for him and acts like we said we don't want her in our lives ever. I never lied to her or hid others watching him. It's not her decision or business anyway but still I was open and honest. But now that this has happened I am even more confident and independent. We do everything together and are so bonded now. I get more done my house is cleaner and I feel so confident and in my rightful vocation as a mother I always wanted to be instead of being told and feeling weak and struggling. Other key things she told our mutual doctor I was a mean mom which I am so not, and is super jealous of others. She didn't put my son down once or let anyone else hold him at his birthday party. I felt like his party was about her showing off she is the favorite grandma. People who hadn't met him yet or seen him forever didn't even get to hold him or barely look at him. I told her 4 times mom put him down please these people came to see him on his day his first birthday and still she wouldn't she just ignored me. She had said things like she " wouldn't allow that at all" about my mother in law taking him while I work as of it was hers to allow. She had me brainwashed against them in my vulnerable state. I hate that we aren't talking because I do love her but I kind of don't miss her right now because our lives are amazing. The house is clean baby is literally the happiest I've ever seen him his whole life without her obsessive nature and daily drama.. The competition she would create made me feel like a bad mom. I know it's my fault I leaned on her too much because I was sick. And when I got better I let it continue because I didn't want the drama she creates (like what's going on now. The silent treatment is typical). I don't want to bash her I just want to know I'm not alone and I'm not crazy being bothered by this behavior. It's so toxic. Yes stuff bothered me but I can ignore it but as I saw my son being affected and it getting worse, I just had to set boundaries. She took it too far with them. But I pray for her every night to come around and stop this behavior and to be in our lives. Just on our terms. This is our little family and we need our own space and rules. Am I wrong? I had some friends who would say how lucky I am when they would ask about my mom watching him for us. Yes it is lucky to have help if needed. But it felt like such a burden and like I was only doing it to make her happy because I didn't want to hurt her vs actually needing her if that makes sense. We take good care of her we buy phones and pay her cell phone bill for baby sitting and buy her nice gifts for H holidays as a thank you because we know she did a lot during my rough times. But he is 13 months now and I am better. Which is what she should want. To be happy for me that im. Finally the mom I always wanted to be. My new faith has helped so much. Sorry this got long but any body who can share similar tales so I'm not alone please do. I know some of these allowances are my fault even if it was because I felt guilted into it by her so please spare me the lecture on that. I accept my part in it. I just don't feel this is normal loving grandma behavior. I'm so happy she loves him. But she blatently goes against me with our routine that works and I come home two hours past his nap and he is "still fighting her" she says. She leaves and I have him unconscious in thirty seconds. No he wasnt fighting you. Do it our way and it works for us. Hold him the whole time and keep taking him out of his room yeah he won't sleep. She also doesn't want him to cry ever so she gives him whatever he wants and I know she lets him drink soda with her even tho I'm very against it because he is obsessed with her coke bottles and I keep saying mommy doesn't want you playing with that because I don't want you thinking it's okay to have it and she just ignores me. She always ignores my comments trying to assert myself as his mom. I feel like we are in a constant battle for the kids love as I try to assert myself because she makes such competitive comments. And constant kissing his face and constant I love you you're grandmas boy, youre my baby, I'm your favorite grandma, youre my favorite person. ALL. THE TIME. Non stop. On a creepy level. She kisses and hugs him for no joke 15-25 min before she finally will leave and says goodbye for another five with the door open trying to make him wave. And when I go to work and try to say goodbye and he cried a bit she would say oh honey don't worry grandma isn't leaving I would never leave you but say goodbye to mommy. I'm like okay thanks for making it look bad I work and I'm awful for leaving him. He isn't crying because you're leaving its becauseim leaving him with you and he doesn't want to be with you all day. Then when I come home he is hitting me in the face and screaming at me if I get too close. God knows what she tells him about me when I'm not around. I don't want to know.

Am I alone????

Is it just me?

Any tips on Catholic way to get through this damage she has done to me. And my. Relationship with my son. It is amazing right now but I think it still needs work because of what she is saying and doing to him

Yes it's out of love but if you knew my mother you would know it's also out of showing off, competition, jealousy and being the favorite.]]>Wed, 25 Feb 2015 00:05:49 EDThttp://community.babycenter.com/post/a55461073/anyone_else_have_a_mother_like_this#comments_formhttp://community.babycenter.com/post/a55461073/anyone_else_have_a_mother_like_thisCatholic School?http://community.babycenter.com/post/a37877356/catholic_school

I've had a run of bad luck with my education in Catholic school growing up so it has skewed my view, and I feel I can teach my children more and more thoroughly. I do feel sad they won't experience the "feel" of Catholic School, if you know what I mean. I think by is nice to be surrounded by other Catholics to strengthen your faith, but I Think that is also ideal because it didn't work for me. I jumped around a few schools growing up and can't say I was fond of any of them. It's sad because I wish I could change the way they re run, at least where I was.]]>Thu, 15 Nov 2012 04:10:26 EDThttp://community.babycenter.com/post/a37877356/catholic_school#comments_formhttp://community.babycenter.com/post/a37877356/catholic_schoolNewhttp://community.babycenter.com/post/a55441084/new
Tue, 24 Feb 2015 01:05:29 EDThttp://community.babycenter.com/post/a55441084/new#comments_formhttp://community.babycenter.com/post/a55441084/newHello There!http://community.babycenter.com/post/a54352957/hello_there
Hey everyone! I just found out last week that I am expecting my first child with my husband. I am looking for as much support as I can get throughout this pregnancy, and as a Catholic, I wanted to reach out to other Catholic women/moms/expecting moms for advice. I'm not sure how active this group is, but I'm hoping it's great!]]>Tue, 30 Dec 2014 14:16:36 EDThttp://community.babycenter.com/post/a54352957/hello_there#comments_formhttp://community.babycenter.com/post/a54352957/hello_thereMy Lenten Resolutionhttp://community.babycenter.com/post/a55362364/my_lenten_resolution

Two years ago, during Lent, I had my first miscarriage. It was the the hardest thing I had ever been through. I stopped going to church, and really gave up on my Faith.

I got pregnant again right away, but miscarried again. That only made my struggle harder.

Last year, I found out I was pregnant at the beginning of April. Those first few months were a mix of joy and terror. I had had two successful pregnancies, followed by two losses. I wished I could go back to this blissfully ignorant days before the losses. I still had not found my Faith again.

My oldest child was starting 1st grade, and in our church, you have 2 years of first communion prep. That meant we needed to start going back to mass.

Just going back to mass again truly helped me to get y Faith back. My little one is 11 weeks old and is an absolute blessing. I had to go through my losses to be able to appreciate just how blessed I am.

For lent, I am not giving anything up. I have vowed to be more prayerful in my life. I am going to be more thoughtful in what I say, do, and how I live.

How are you celebrating Lent?]]>Thu, 19 Feb 2015 18:40:38 EDThttp://community.babycenter.com/post/a55362364/my_lenten_resolution#comments_formhttp://community.babycenter.com/post/a55362364/my_lenten_resolutionAnn Arbor area Parishes?http://community.babycenter.com/post/a55343377/ann_arbor_area_parishes
Hi! New here.

My husband and I are returning to the Catholic Church. We live just outside of Ann Arbor MI. We're wondering what parish might be a good fit as we didn't grow up in the area. We have two kids. A five year old and an 18 m old. Can anyone tell me about their parish and why they like it?

]]>Wed, 18 Feb 2015 18:14:05 EDThttp://community.babycenter.com/post/a55343377/ann_arbor_area_parishes#comments_formhttp://community.babycenter.com/post/a55343377/ann_arbor_area_parishesSex Edhttp://community.babycenter.com/post/a55114645/sex_ed
I'm looking for a good sex ed book that is in-line with the Catholic Faith. Any suggestions?

Anyway, long story just to ask u for prayers. Prayers for strength in accepting what God has planned for us. Prayers for wisdom to know if God wants us to try yet again or accept our path though it may not be what we had planned. Prayers for God to finally bless us with a child that will be raised in the faith.]]>Thu, 21 Mar 2013 01:04:25 EDThttp://community.babycenter.com/post/a40806985/please_pray_for_us#comments_formhttp://community.babycenter.com/post/a40806985/please_pray_for_us